518/520, Tuesday Evening

[sensethevisions]

After the guys took the kidlets to class with them, Phoebe could probably have curled up and taken a nap since she was so exhausted. However, part of her just couldn't do that as she didn't think it would be fair to the guys if she was better rested than they were.

So, to keep herself busy and from thinking too much, she had cleaned the entire suite and then had went out to get dinner for everyone for later.

Currently, she was reclining on the couch and pretending to read. Really what she was doing was replaying her conversation with Jim from last night.


[[OOC: Open for demonbelthazor, futurebucs_star, athletic_witch, and demonwitchlings]]

Comments

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders made it back upstairs before Bel did, having less kids to round up.

Of course, he didn't have a key to the door or anything, and even if he did he had a five-year-old on one hip and a six-year-old on the other, so he looked at Artemis. "Knock on the door, would you?"

"I could just shim --"

"No, sweetheart, knock please."

"Oh, all right." She heaved a big sigh, then raised one little fist and knocked on the door three times.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe got up from the couch and went to open the door. When she saw Anders there with the two girls, she grinned.

She reached out her arms. "One of you come to me so your Daddy gets a little bit of a break."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Pandora didn't waste the opportunity, and took a flying leap (quite possibly TK-assisted) into Mommy's arms. "Hi, Mommy," she said, happily snuggling up against Phoebe.

Anders gave her a relieved smile and eased Artemis to the floor. "Thanks, Phoebe."

[sensethevisions]

"Anytime," Phoebe said with a smile as she held Pandora close to her. She looked down at artemis -- whom she had formed an attachment to, as well. "Hi, Artemis. Have you had a good day?"

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"Uh huh." Artemis was splattered with paint and grinning from ear to ear. "We got to play paintball in Daddy and Daddy's class and Professor Aly's kids wanted to know if they were gonna make out."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe blinked, then looked at Anders and Cole. Shaking her head, she looked back down at Artemis, whom she had also started thinking about as hers -- no big surprise there, really.

"Did you guys win?"

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"We did," Artemis declared, whether or not it was true. "They didn't make out in class, though."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"I'm hoping it tired them out some," Anders said with a smile that was pretty tired too. "They had a blast. Pandora, too."

[sensethevisions]

"That's my girls," Phoebe said proudly as she looked at Artemis and then at Pandora. She smiled at Anders. "You think thwy'll sleep tonight?"

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Lords, I hope so," Anders said with a ragged laugh. "In the living room would be nice," he added under his breath.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe heard him and nodded quickly in agreement.

She carried Pandora over to the couch and sat down, Pandora stayed in her lap, but there was also room for any of the other kidlets to snuggle with her if they so chose...

...and she kind of hoped they did.

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders, wanting to be near his kids, went and sat on the arm of the couch so Pandora could have him within reach. Artemis, deciding the couch looked comfortable, started to crawl up onto it before he held up a hand.

"Whoa there, kiddo, you get a shower first," he said firmly. "No getting paint all over Mommy Phoebe, got it?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe blinked and then gave Artemis a cheerful grin. "Mommy Phoebe doesn't mind if you get paint on her, sweetheart. I can take a shower and get cleaned up later, too."

Spoiling the kidlets? Phoebe?

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

Artemis gave Anders a smug grin that was a perfect little mirror of Bel's, then climbed up on the couch into Phoebe's lap, next to Pandora. "Daddy's weird about things like that."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe wrapped an arm around Artemis, so now she had both Pandora and Artemis in her lap. She shook her head and snickered at the two girls. "Daddies can be weird about a lot of things."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders stuck his tongue out. Whether he was sticking it out at Phoebe or Artemis, it was kind of unclear.

Pandora started giving him an expectant look.

". . . what?"

[athletic-witch.livejournal.com]

"You and Mommy haven't been as snuggly and kissy as you usually are," Pandora said thoughtfully, peering at Anders, then at Phoebe, then back at Anders.

Then, with the lightning-quick subject change that only a six-year-old could master, she added, "Mommy, what kind of stuff needs to happen for you and Daddy to make me a brother? 'cause Daddy and Uncle Cole said there was a lot of stuff that had to happen."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe had been trying to come up with a response about the kissing and snuggling... and she had a pretty well-thought answer out to give the six year old. However, then Pandora's next question caused more of Phoebe's brain to break.

"A brother?" She may have squeaked. "Benjamin is your brother, sweetheart."

Because, naively, Phoebe believed that would satisfy the curiosity of her daughter.

[athletic-witch.livejournal.com]

"No," Pandora said, frowning and tugging at Anders again in hopes of encouraging some snuggling. "I mean my own brother. From you and Daddy."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at Anders as Pandora tugged him closer.

"I think they meant that Daddy and I have to finish school here, first, sweetheart."

[athletic-witch.livejournal.com]

Pandora frowned a little, and tugged harder until Anders gave in -- like he always did with her -- and ended up leaning against Phoebe.

"That's better," she told him authoritatively. "And Mommy, how come you have to finish school first? Daddy wasn't done with school yet when you had me."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders choked. "I -- what? Sweetheart, what year were you born?"

[athletic-witch.livejournal.com]

"2007," Pandora said, as if he should know this. "Grandpa Victor had to call you when I was being born and you had to leave in the middle of class to get your portal and go be with Mommy at the hospital."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at Anders and it was obvious that she wasn't expecting that answer from their daughter.

"That... that soon, huh, sweetheart?" She smiled a little at Pandora, trying to hide her shock. "I guess we couldn't wait to have you with us."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders looked at her, his face a little pale. "Let's give it a little time, huh?" he asked her. "Give you a little more time to enjoy being the only child."

He was starting to come to the realization that if Pandora had been born this year, but they'd brought Bel back . . . she wasn't going to be a possibility in this reality. Which made it hurt like hell that he'd fallen so hard for his little girl.

[demonbelthazor]

Bel returned to the room a short time later with his merry band of demon spawn, many of whom were splattered with paint still.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe grinned as the rest of her family came in. She eyed the paint splatters and snickered when Samantha wrapped herself around her legs.

"Did you guys have fun in class?"

[demonbelthazor]

"They're good shots," Cole said proudly.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe laughed softly and then leaned in to kiss Cole.

"Well, of course they are. They're ours, aren't they?"

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"I tried to teach people the Daddy Come Home song," Melinda announced proudly.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at Melinda and grinned. "Which song is that?"

Phoebe had also kind of laid claim to Melinda, too.

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

Patience giggled. "Magic forces black and white. . . ." she began.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe gaped and then laughed.

"Oh... that song."

She also felt a sort of claim on Patience, but she kept getting the idea that her niece either didn't like her or didn't approve of her.

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"Mama uses it all the time when she wants Daddy to come home," Patience said. "And then you get mad at her and tell her to use the cell phone instead."

[sensethevisions]

She could see Prue using the summoning spell like that for instant...

...and she was so not finishing that thought.

"Well, the cell phone is a more polite way to call your Daddy to come home."

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"Mama doesn't like Daddy as much as you do," Patience said.

[sensethevisions]

"She doesn't? Do you have any idea why?" The idea that someone didn't care for Cole as much as she did puzzled her.

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"Because he's a deeeeeeeeeeemon," Patience said. "But she says witch blood is stronger than demon so she likes all the kids, though."

[sensethevisions]

"He's a good demon though," Phoebe said gently. "And he made six very beautiful children. I'm glad she likes all of the kids." Especially as protective as Phoebe had already found herself getting of all of them. "But Daddy deserves to be liked, too."

[demonwitchlings.livejournal.com]

"Mama says she just tol'rates him," Patience said. "But I think she likes him, she just won't say."

[sensethevisions]

"I hope she does," Phoebe said softly.